[Plugin] 2D Tools

EarthMover · 26 Sept 2009, 14:38

I'm wondering if the "Set Z Plane" tool allow the user to physically manipulate a "ghost" plane of some kind to set the drawing plane.

For example, you click on the Set Z plane button and a Ghost Plane appears. The user can then manipulate the plane with the move and rotate tools. You could move the plane up by 10' and rotate the plane 45 degrees, right click and choose accept as drawing plane, the ghost plane disappears and all the tools would then be locked to that plane at that angle.

This would be beneficial for using the 2D tools in a 3D world. If you could snap a ghost plane somewhere on your 3D model and lock the tools at that height and angle, it would allow you to draw freely using CAD style tools, without the annoyance of snapping and inferencing while trying to draw flat.

Just a thought.

Pixero · 26 Sept 2009, 16:46

Great idea. I like it.

majid · 27 Sept 2009, 04:00

thax again dear master TIG ...for all you are doing for us...
but 2d hatch never worked for me ,at any version... what do you guess?
also it is a while that I've lost "search panel" beside my explorer, does it depends on?

Foun10Head-X · 27 Sept 2009, 06:41

A newbie here wanting to say many thanks.

nurg · 28 Sept 2009, 09:05

thanks cool plugin

TIG · 28 Sept 2009, 09:13

@majid said:

thax again dear master TIG ...for all you are doing for us...
but 2d hatch never worked for me ,at any version... what do you guess?
also it is a while that I've lost "search panel" beside my explorer, does it depends on?

Please start the 2D Hatching Tool with the Ruby Console open and send us the messages that appear there - if any.
Also report what it says on the Bottom of the Screen 'VCB' bar...

We will fix it...

TIG · 2 Oct 2009, 12:17

Version 3.0 is now available here...

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=185760#p185760

There has been a general re-write to improve robustness.
The 'Help' section is now in htm format and suits all platforms,
A brand new tool 'Adjust' has been added - this allows you to Select a set of Target-Lines and then 'Adjust' [Trim/Extend] Picked Lines to them [Target-Lines can also be Adjusted]. It is quick, intuitive and easy to use - with simple mouse-click-to-pick or mouse-drag-with-button-down-to-multi-select, then double-clicking to toggle between target-select and line-adjust [or exit], there is easy add/remove to targets-set by toggle-key <shift>, clear VCB prompting, and informative color changes to targets-set and the cursor [orange during stage1=select-targets, cyan during stage2=adjust-lines] etc...

Feedback please...

Ben Ritter · 2 Oct 2009, 13:18

TIG, thank you again for the incredible tools.

Like Majid, the hatching tool has never worked. Here is what I get with Ruby Console open:

"Cancelled 2D Hatching.
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method display_name' for nil:NilClass> C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/2Dtools/2DhatchingTool.rb:134:in onMouseMove'
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/2Dtools/2DhatchingTool.rb:134
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method `display_name' for nil:NilClass>"

Then this message keeps repeating as I move the mouse.

Ben

TIG · 2 Oct 2009, 16:20

I think I've fixed this '2D Hatching' glitch that some of you were experiencing - I had to try very hard to make it fail on my PC at all, but now I know what the message is it's a bit clearer !

Here's v3.1 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=185760#p185760

Please try it and see how it goes...

Dave R · 2 Oct 2009, 16:39

Thanks TIG. I never did have a problem with the hatching but I appreciate your continued attention to detail.

BTW, immediately above the link for the ZIP file it says that the file is no longer available. I'm guessing that just needs to be edited?

TIG · 2 Oct 2009, 17:03

@dave r said:

Thanks TIG. I never did have a problem with the hatching but I appreciate your continued attention to detail.
BTW, immediately above the link for the ZIP file it says that the file is no longer available. I'm guessing that just needs to be edited?

This Hatching glitch needs you to do a sequence of things when you first run the tool, that then mess it up subsequently ! Took me ages to work out what, as like you I had no problems with it at all...

I think (hope) that's now trapped...

I've also edited that initial 'typo' in the post !

Ben Ritter · 2 Oct 2009, 17:15

@tig said:

I think I've fixed this '2D Hatching' glitch that some of you were experiencing - I had to try very hard to make it fail on my PC at all, but now I know what the message is it's a bit clearer !

Here's v3.1 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=185760#p185760

Please try it and see how it goes...

I appreciate how quickly you fix things TIG, however, I still can't get the hatching to work with v3.1. It cancels out right away and I don't even get a chance to see anything in the VCB.

Thanks again for this great script.

Ben

TIG · 2 Oct 2009, 18:03

@ben ritter said:

@tig said:

I think I've fixed this '2D Hatching' glitch that some of you were experiencing - I had to try very hard to make it fail on my PC at all, but now I know what the message is it's a bit clearer !

Here's v3.1 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=185760#p185760

Please try it and see how it goes...

I appreciate how quickly you fix things TIG, however, I still can't get the hatching to work with v3.1. It cancels out right away and I don't even get a chance to see anything in the VCB.

Thanks again for this great script.

Ben

Aaargh!

What messages do you get in the Ruby Console ? What is your OS and your Platform SUp version etc... ? It will get sorted - still works for me...

Ben Ritter · 2 Oct 2009, 19:15

@unknownuser said:

Aaargh!

What messages do you get in the Ruby Console ? What is your OS and your Platform SUp version etc... ? It will get sorted - still works for me... ops

TIG, like I said, the message in the console is "Cancelled 2d Hatching". That's it.

I am running on an HP, quad core, 2.67 ghz, Windows XP/Service Pack 3 and SU 6.4.112.

Sorry.
Ben

TIG · 2 Oct 2009, 21:21

@ben ritter said:

@unknownuser said:

Aaargh!
What messages do you get in the Ruby Console ? What is your OS and your Platform SUp version etc... ? It will get sorted - still works for me... ops

TIG, like I said, the message in the console is "Cancelled 2d Hatching". That's it.
I am running on an HP, quad core, 2.67 ghz, Windows XP/Service Pack 3 and SU 6.4.112.
Sorry.
Ben

None of this should be causing a problem ! Although XP+SP3 and SUp v6 is a 'constant', but I can't see how it makes the thing fall over... I'll try some alternatives. I'll continue this by PM with you and Majid... We WILL fix it...

JClements · 3 Oct 2009, 01:48

TIG:

I set my Z at 10'

I draw a circle.

I import a jpg photo which is placed automatically at Z=0. The image is under the circle.

I get the Face Make and click on the point in the circle. The circle gets a face and a color AND the image under gets "painted" too.

mitcorb · 3 Oct 2009, 03:26

TIG:
The hatching tool simply does not engage for me, version 3.0. The bottom left line instruction is only there for an instant, saying choose a pattern and it does not make the call to the folder. I am running XP SP3 with a Pentium 4. Yes, I know it is an old dog, but it limps along.
I am getting ready to deploy version 3.1 with the console open.
mitcorb

EDIT ok 3.1 returns "Cancelled 2D Hatching" in the console and the bottom left message is only there for an instant on activating the hatching button. Repeatedly clicking the tool repeats the console message--no other information, no ruby code or anything.

Dave R · 3 Oct 2009, 12:16

TIG, FWIW, it's still not giving me any problems. Hatching works as advertised for me. I opened the console and it remains blank while running the plugin.

I wonder what it is that is different between my installation and these folks who are having problems. Is there something we can do to compare installs or something? Is it possible that something else is running that is causing the problem?

EarthMover · 3 Oct 2009, 13:10

Yes, hatching has always worked well for me, also. SU 7 Pro on Vista.

I am having an issue with the line tool. Not sure if it's a bug. I try to click once and pull the line out on an axis and then type in the distance in the vcb, however the line doesn't draw and I get a partial construction line. I don't remember it having this glitch in the previous versions. Is this intentional and maybe there is some feature I don't know about?

Here's a screen record of what's happening. http://screencast.com/t/vcIikXHeg7

Thanks!

TIG · 3 Oct 2009, 13:11

@jclements said:

TIG:
I set my Z at 10'
I draw a circle.
I import a jpg photo which is placed automatically at Z=0. The image is under the circle.
I get the Face Make and click on the point in the circle. The circle gets a face and a color AND the image under gets "painted" too.

Thanks for the feed back.
I that case - make a Face for the Circle by using the Normal Line Tool and drawing over one of the Circle's Segments. The Image Face won't change now.
What I do in the next release is either to have a <Shift> toggle so that it makes Faces only to found Loops without Faces OR toggled it makes Faces to all found Loops including existing ones and <defaults> the Material and flips it up if needed OR alternatively I might just limit the Making of Faces to any Loops on the Z (in your case at 10'). I might also need to do this for Hatching as it works in a similar way... I'll make a decision about which way to do it shortly...